[TriLUG] Debian Sarge is dying somehow

[johnm]

Brian Henning wrote:

> Hi Y'all,
>  In chasing the IE6.0 rabbit I mentioned earlier, I decided to go with 
> the remote desktop approach.  rdesktop seemed to install and operate 
> perfectly with no problems.  So I tried to create a desktop shortcut 
> (er...  link to application) to a one-line shell script I wrote to 
> call rdesktop with the appropriate flags and server address.  When I 
> clicked the "Ok" button, things went, for lack of a better 
> explanation, to heck.
>  The dialog for creating the link never really disposed of itself.  It 
> ceased to respond, and the entire system suddenly bogged down to a 
> nearly 100% unresponsive crawl (no mouse response, etc).  Couldn't 
> even switch virtual terminals.
>  I walked away for a bit and returned to a text screen chock full of 
> out-of-memory -related error text (which had filled the entire 
> scrollback buffer).
>  On reboot, the system reaches "Starting system logging daemon: 
> syslogd" and hangs.  There is some hard disk activity now and then, 
> and eventually, if it is left to its own devices, it will again fill 
> the buffer with out-of-memory messages.
>  Before this machine was loaded with Linux, it was a 98 machine that 
> had started to bluescreen uncontrollably.  I was hoping it was a 
> software issue, but this is starting to make me think maybe it's 
> hardware-related.  Does anyone have some input based on what I've just 
> described?  Seen it before and know what is likely the cause, and/or 
> how to fix it?
>
> Thanks, everyone.
> ~Brian
> ----------------
> Brian A. Henning
> Strutmasters.com
> 866.597.2397
> ----------------
>
   You may need to test the box to find out what the actual HW issue is. 
I am a fan of the UbootCD. You might try downloading and burn the 
Ultimate Boot CD (a live CD iso). It has memory test programs and hard 
drive test programs and a lot more. I tend to run the mem test (and HD) 
stuff for 5 to 10 passes (or overnight)to try to catch stuff.
   Another testing method I use is to remove ALL unnecessary cards to 
get just the minimum to boot/run system. You don't need e-net, sound, 
even unplug HDD (data cable). Another test is to swap out Video card 
with a  simple one (isa even) in case it is Vid mem problem.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

john mitchell